Boor latch



March 22, 1927. 7 1,621,497

w. c. DEVEREAUX DOOR LATCH Filed April 6. 1925 I I r /7 j INVENTOR.

' BY Q ATTORNEYJ MZZm/n d pave/(942 Y Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM C. DEVEREA'UX, GE DEIRQIT, MICHIGAN.

DOOR LATCH.

Application filed April 6, 1925.

This invention relates generally to door locks and latches and refersmore particularly to those designed for use upon the doors of vehiclebodies.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide a latch inwhich a dog is adapted to be operated directly by one of the boltretracting members for rendering the other retracting member inoperativeanti is adapted to be restored automatically to normal position byindependent means carried preferably by the case plate.

Another object is to provide simple and effective means for retardingthe forward movement of the lever when it is released in its rearwardposition after retracting the bolt to prevent the lever f om spring ingor moving beyond neutral position to actuate the dog and therebyaccidentaily render the outside bolt retracting member inoperative.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists incertain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements ofparts as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a door latch embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44t of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a modification.

Heretofore, a pivotal dog has been employed for blocking the movement ofthe roll back. With some constructions this dog was moved into and outof operative dogging position by a suitable handle that operatedindependently of the bolt retracting means. With other constructionsthis dog was moved to operative position by an independent hamlle andreturned to inoperative position by a projection on the bolt shank.Constructions have also-been provided in which the dog has beenconnected by a link to vone of the bolt retracting members whereby thedog was moved into or out of its operative dog ging position by themovement of the bolt I retracting member. However, in so far as SerialNo. 21,104.

applicant is aware, there is nothing in the prior art which shows a dogthat is moved into operative dogging position by direct engagement withone of the bolt retracting members and is automatically returned toinoperative position by independent yieldable means anchored preferablyon the case piate. in added feature of this construction is theprovision of yieldable means for retarding the forward movement of thelever when it is released in its rearward position after retracting thebolt to prevent the lever from springing or moving beyond neutralposition to actuate the dog and thereby accidentally render the outsidebolt retracting member inoperative. Thus self-dogging of the outsideoperative member is obviated entirely in my construction.

lleferring now to the drawings in which like characters of referencedesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral1 designates a lock embodying my invention having a case plate 2 that ispreferably secured to the inner side of a door and is provided at oneedge with a laterally extending flange 4: that is secured to the outeredge of the door. Slidabl mounted on the case plate 2 is a bolt 5preferably having an integral head 6 and shank 7. shown, the head 6preferably extends through a suitable opening 8 in the lateral flange 4of the case plate and is adapted to engage a suitable keeper (not shown)upon the door jamb of a vehicle body, while the shank 7 preferablyextends between spaced guide lugs 9 struck out from the case plate 2 andis provided at spaced points with upstanding forwardly curvedprojections or arms 10 and 11 respectively. The shank 7 of the bolt isalso preferably provided at its inner end with a flat reduced portion 12that extends behind a suitable cover plate 13 and is preferably providedadjacent to the reduced end portion 12 with longitudinally extendingslot lei. As shown, the forward wall 15 of this slot preferably servesas an abutment for the free end of a helical spring 15 that is anchoredupon the case plate 2 and that normally holds the bolt in projectedposition.

For retracting the bolt, I preferably provide a suitableroll back 16that is adapted to be operated from the outside of the door, and apivoted lever 17 that is adapted to be operated from the inside of thedoor. As shown, the roll back 16 is engageable with the forwardprojection of the bolt tract the bolt.

shank and is provided with a hub 18 that is journaled in. alignedopenings 19 and 20 respectively in the case plate 2 and cover plate 13,preferably immediately in rear of the lateral flange a. Any suitablemeans (not shown) may be engaged with the square opening 21 in the hub18 for rocking the roll back against the projection 10 to re- The lever17 is preferably pivoted at its lower end on the case plate 2 andextends upwardly through the slot 14 in the bolt shank 7. Any suitablehandle (not shown) may be employed for moving the lever against the rearprojection 11 of the shank 7 to retract the bolt. Thus, the lever 17 androll back 16 may be independently operated against the tension of thespring 15 to retract the bolt.

In order that the outside operating means may be rendered inoperativefrom the inside of the vehicle 1 preferably provide a dog 22 that ispivoted on the case plate 2 'between the roll back 16 and lever 17 sothat it may be operated by the lever for preventing rearward movement ofthe roll back. As shown, this dog 22 is normally held out of the path ofmovement of the roll back by means of a suitable spring 23, carried by astud 28 on the case plate 2, and is provided at its rear end with anupstanding projection 24 that is adapted to be engaged by the forwardedge of the lever 17. Any suitable means may be employed for limitingthe upward swinging movement of the dog 22. As shown, a lug 24: ispressed outwardly from the projection 24 and is engageable with theupper edge of the case plate 2. Thus, with this arrangement, when thelever 17 is moved forwardly beyond normal position, the dog 22 will beswungdownwardly against the tension of the spring 23 and will bepositioned im- .mediately in rear of the roll back 16 so that the lattercannot be operated from the outside of the door to retract the bolt. Fordetaehably holding the lever 17 in this for ward position, l'preferablyprovide a suitable leaf spring 25 that is anchored at its rear end uponthe cover plate 13 and is provided at its forward end with a laterallyprojecting return bent portion or rib 26 that is engageable with asuitable depression 27 in the outer face of the lever 17 when the latteris in its forward position. WVhen the dog '22 is in operative positionbehind the roll back 16 and the lever 17 is held by the spring 25 init's forward position, the lever may be readily operated from the insideof the vehicle to release the roll back 16 and retract the bolt bymerely moving the lever to the rear so that the projection 26 of thespring 25 becomes disengaged from the depression 27, whereupon thespring 23 will automatically move the dog 22 upwardl out of the path ofthe roll back. This rol back may then be operated from the outside ofthe vehicle if desired, for retracting the bolt. I

Normally the lever 17 will be held in upright position against thelateral project-ion 26 of the leaf spring by the upstanding projection11 of the spring pressed bolt shank, thus any objectional play of thelever will be obviated. As shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, this spring25 inclines from the cover plate 13 toward the case plate 2, hence theinclined outer face of the spring will frictionally engage the lever 17so that its forward movement will be retarded. Moreover the lateralprojection 26 of the spring will serve as a stop for limiting the returnmovement of the lever after it has been used to retract the bolt.Ordinarily the impetus of the lever is so great after being releasedthat it would spring beyond neutral position and would actuate the dog,however with the present construction this diillculty h been obviatedentirely and the dog may be actuated only by positively moving the leverforwardly by hand. As an added precaution against accidental forwardmovement of the lever 17 beyond neutral position, I preferably provide as nking metal washer 17 that is initially cup-shape in form and that ismounted on the pivot 17 between the lever 17 and case plate 2 so that itwill press firmly against the lever and will retard the forward movementthereof when it is released. In fact the construction of this springwasher 17 is such that it alone suilices to eliminate the possibility ofinadvertently locking the roll back against operation.

If desired, a suitable cam 28 may be used 7 for preventing the boltfrombeing retracted from either side of the door. As shown, this cam 28is engageable with the depression 29 in the shank '7 of the bolt and hasa hub 30 that is journaled in aligned openings 31 and 32 respectively inthe case plate 2 and cover plate 13. This hub 30 may be operated by anysuitable means but preferably has a square opening 33 therethrough forreceiving a suitable key operated shank (not shown).

Thus, from the foregoing description, it will be readily apparent thatthe roll back 16 and lever 17 may be independently operated forretrzmting the bolt. Moreover, the dog 22 may be actuated. by the insidelever 17 for rendering'the roll back inoperative and may be held inoperative position by the lever. It will also be apparent that thespring '23 cannot automatically move the dog 22 upwardly out of the pathof the roll back until the inside lever 17 is moved rearwardly from itsforward position. Thus, the in side lever 17 controls the movement ofthe dog to both operative and inoperative positions.

In Figure 5 I have shown a slight modification in which the dog 30 isnormally held in raised position by means of a wire spring 31. As shown,this spring 31 is mounted upon the pivot 32 for the dog and has an arm33 secured to the dog adjacent to its forward end.

IVhile it is believed that from the foregoing description the nature andadvantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to haveit understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown anddescribed, and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fallwithin the scope of what is claimed.

IVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In a door latch, the combination with a case plate, and a levermounted thereon for swinging movement, of means on the case plateengageable with the lever for retarding the swinging movement thereof.

2. In a door latch, the combination with a case "plate, and a levermounted thereon for swinging movement, of a member on the case platehaving a portion for retarding the movement of the lever and havinganother portion for limiting the movement of said lever in onedirection.

3. In a door latch, the combination with a case plate, and a leverpivoted on the case plate for swinging movement, of aspring washer onthe pivot of the lever for retarding the swinging movement of saidlever.

4. In a door latch, the combination with a case plate, a cover plate,and a lever movable between said plates, of means project ing from oneof said plates for retarding the movement of said lever.

55. In a door latch, the combination with a case plate, a cover plate,and a lever movable between said plates, of a member on one of saidplates having a lateral projection for limiting the movement of saidlever in one direction.

6. In a latch, the combination with a case plate, and a spring pressedbolt having a shank slidably mounted on the case plate, of a projectionon the shank, a lever engageable with said projection for actuating saidbolt, and yieldable means having a part in advance of the levercooperating with said projection for holding said lever firmly inneutral upright position.

7. In a latch, the combination with a case plate, and a spring pressedbolt having a shank slidably mounted on the case plate, of a projectionon the shank, a lever engage able with the projection for actuating saidbolt, and a spring element adapted to retard the movement of said leverhaving a projection cooperating with the projection aforesaid fornormally holding the lever firmly in neutral upright position.

8. In a door latch, the combination with a locking bolt, of: a roll backfor retracting the belt. a dog for rendering the roll back inoperative,a lever movable away from the roll back to retract the bolt and movableto ward the roll back to actuate the dog, and a yicldable member havinga projection engageable with said lever when moved toward the roll backfor holding the dog in operative dogging position.

9. In a latch, the combination with a case plate, a spring projectedbolt carried thereby, and a rollb for retracting the bolt, ot a dog for1'i1t c-ll1 the rollback inoperative, a second bolt retracting nhnnberfor actuating the dog, a lug on the case plate constituting a stop forthe bolt retracting member, and yieldable means carried by the lugnormally retaining the dog inoperative.

10. In a latch, the combination with a latch bolt, and a retractingmember therefor, of means for rendering said member inoporativeincluding a second bolt retracting member mounted to swing from neutralposition toward said first mentioned bolt retracting member, and a doghaving a portion adapted to be engaged directly by said second boltretracting member when swung toward said first retracting member andhaving another portion adapted to block the operative movement of saidfirst retracting member when the said second mentioned member is movedfrom neutral position toward the said first bolt retracting member.

11. In a latch, the combination with a latch bolt, and a rollback forretracting said bolt, of means for rendering said rollback inoperativeincluding a lever mounted to swing from neutral position toward saidrollback, and a dog having an upstanding projection adapted to beengaged directly by said lever when swung toward said rollback andhaving another portion adapted to block the operative movement of saidrollback when the lever is moved from neutral position toward therollback.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM C. DEVEREAUX.

